While most people know OCZ Technology as a memory company, it has recently branched out into many sector of the computing market. OCZ's portfolio has now expanded to include video cards, power supplies, memory cards and solid-state drives (SSDs).

OCZ hopes to branch out even further with the announcement of a new do-it-yourself (DIY) gaming notebook. End-users will be able to purchase the DIY notebook barebones and add components to the machine to build an entire system. OCZ venders, however, will be able to spec the notebooks however they see fit.

OCZ's DIY gaming notebook is no lightweight, however, and weighs in at hefty 7 pounds with a 9-cell battery pack. External dimensions for the machine ring in at 14.25" x 11.25" x 1.5".

"For years consumers have wanted to build their own mobile computing platforms, but the product offerings and market simply did not serve them as they did in the desktop do it yourself segment," said OCZ Systems Solutions Product Manager Eugene Chang. "With the OCZ Do-It-Yourself Notebook initiative, OCZ empowers with the resources like validated component guides, documentation, tech support, and a warranty to allow consumers to configure and build a true gaming notebook with the exact specification that matches their unique requirements."

OCZ also plans to go above and beyond the call of duty by offering validated components in the system, toll-free support, and detailed instructions on how to complete a new system build.

Pricing has not been announced for OCZ's DIY gaming notebook, but will be revealed when the system and its siblings arrive later this year.

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Hi zshift, your pretty much right on. I can't divulge specs but I can say weight is an issue we are addressing as well as a much more robust graphics solution. With more graphics however the battery has to be souped up so there is some give and take. I will also say that you are correct in regards to the 17"

First of all, let me request a 15" model with a 8800 class GPU for the high end. It would be incredible if a gaming notebook could offer that combo that fills the enormous gulf between 8600 parts in usable chassis' and 8800s (when they are even available) in annoying non-portable 17" parts. I may be in the minority, but I think whatever market there exists for second PCs that can be used to game (while traveling or staying over at significant others' places etc) is drawn to a 15" form factor, while the 17" affectionados are dedicated LAN party games or students with room for only a notebook.

Second, let me compliment OCZ on choosing to have an employee serve as a corporate mouthpiece like this. The fact that a knowledgeable insider is willing to discuss the marketplace, hint at future plans, and not BS us is really impressive IMHO. I will say OCZ is 100x more likely to get my hard-earned PC spending dollars this way than spending the same money on a mixture of corporate PR-speak and viral marketing in forums. Serious props to you guys.

Thanks Sunrise, this is all great feedback, and the reason I’m here. I really appreciate the dialogue with people like you. I understand the need for a balance of portability and performance, part of the reason why 15” models are the real volume movers in the market. I will say that there are challenges in a 15” for a dual card GPU solution, but along the line of your point with a single card in the 8800 class this is plenty enough graphics power for the majority of games and gamers out there. Thanks again for the great comments.

Wouldn't this be an excellent opportunity for a notebook with external graphics, similar to the unreleased Asus XG station, but not limited by the PCI-E x1 Expresscard bus. I've always kept hope that some notebook maker would be intelligent enough to include a full PCI-E x16 connection as a custom port on the chassis, similar to a docking port but with the ability to handle a full desktop GPU.